Linda Bright, West Union, Iowa, December 5, 2017

Linda​ ​Lou​ ​(Luchsinger)​ ​Bright​ ​of​ ​West​ ​Union,​ ​Iowa​ ​passed​ ​away​ ​on​ ​December​ ​5th,​ ​2017​ ​at​ ​home​ ​surrounded​ ​by her​ ​loving​ ​family. She​ ​was​ ​born​ ​on​ ​March​ ​21,​ ​1947​ ​in​ ​West​ ​Union,​ ​IA​ ​​ ​eldest​ ​child​ ​of​ ​Lester​ ​and​ ​Lois​ ​(Yauslin)​ ​Luchsinger’s​ ​​ ​three children.​ ​She​ ​was​ ​baptized​ ​and​ ​confirmed​ ​at​ ​Union​ ​Sunday​ ​School​ ​(United​ ​Methodist,​ ​Clermont).​ ​​ ​Growing​ ​up she​ ​enjoyed​ ​a​ ​special​ ​bond​ ​with​ ​her​ ​mother​ ​and​ ​grandmother​ ​learning​ ​and​ ​carrying​ ​on​ ​many​ ​family​ ​traditions. She​ ​graduated​ ​from​ ​Valley​ ​School​ ​District​ ​(Clermont)​ ​with​ ​the​ ​class​ ​of​ ​1965.​ ​​ ​After​ ​graduation​ ​she​ ​showed​ ​her independence​ ​moving​ ​to​ ​Cedar​ ​Rapids​ ​for​ ​employment​ ​at​ ​Square​ ​D.

Linda​ ​married​ ​Don​ ​Bright​ ​on​ ​October​ ​22,​ ​1966​ ​at​ ​the​ ​United​ ​Methodist​ ​Church​ ​in​ ​Elgin,​ ​Iowa.​ ​To​ ​this​ ​union​ ​two children​ ​were​ ​born,​ ​Devin​ ​Lee​ ​and​ ​6​ ​years​ ​later​ ​to​ ​the​ ​day,​ ​Alesha​ ​Ann.​ ​They​ ​made​ ​their​ ​family​ ​home​ ​in​ ​the Denver,​ ​Iowa​ ​community.​ ​​ ​During​ ​this​ ​time​ ​Linda​ ​worked​ ​at​ ​Sears,​ ​Dick​ ​Witham​ ​Chevrolet,​ ​and​ ​Community Motors.​ ​Linda​ ​was​ ​very​ ​active​ ​in​ ​Mt.​ ​Hope​ ​United​ ​Methodist​ ​Church​ ​and​ ​the​ ​children’s​ ​activities.​ ​The​ ​family enjoyed​ ​many​ ​special​ ​vacations​ ​and​ ​adventures,​ ​which​ ​all​ ​still​ ​speak​ ​fondly​ ​of​ ​to​ ​this​ ​day.

Linda​ ​and​ ​Don​ ​moved​ ​to​ ​New​ ​Ulm,​ ​Minnesota​ ​in​ ​1994​ ​enjoying​ ​nearly​ ​15​ ​years​ ​in​ ​the​ ​community.​ ​​ ​Linda​ ​worked​ ​for Direct​ ​Mail​ ​(PGI)​ ​and​ ​was​ ​very​ ​active​ ​at​ ​Oakwood​ ​United​ ​Methodist​ ​Church.​ ​​ ​She​ ​enjoyed​ ​helping​ ​and organizing​ ​church​ ​events,​ ​serving​ ​meals​ ​and​ ​making​ ​desserts​ ​for​ ​all​ ​to​ ​enjoy.​ ​​ ​During​ ​this​ ​time​ ​she​ ​was privileged​ ​to​ ​participate​ ​in​ ​a​ ​mission​ ​trip​ ​that​ ​that​ ​took​ ​her​ ​to​ ​Kentucky​ ​and​ ​a​ ​retreat​ ​in​ ​Northern​ ​Minnesota.

Linda​ ​and​ ​Don​ ​retired​ ​in​ ​2008​ ​and​ ​moved​ ​back​ ​to​ ​West​ ​Union,​ ​Iowa​ ​to​ ​be​ ​near​ ​family.​ ​​ ​Even​ ​though​ ​she​ ​retired she​ ​did​ ​not​ ​slow​ ​down.​ ​​ ​Linda​ ​was​ ​involved​ ​in​ ​the​ ​United​ ​Methodist​ ​Church​ ​of​ ​West​ ​Union,​ ​United​ ​Methodist Women,​ ​Emmaus​ ​Community,​ ​Kaleidoscope​ ​board,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Fayette​ ​County​ ​Election​ ​Board.​ ​​ ​Linda​ ​also​ ​enjoyed contributing​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Fayette​ ​County​ ​Historical​ ​Center.​ ​​ ​She​ ​loved​ ​keeping​ ​an​ ​eye​ ​out​ ​for​ ​items​ ​that​ ​she​ ​knew would​ ​go​ ​with​ ​the​ ​themes​ ​of​ ​the​ ​different​ ​rooms;​ ​arranging​ ​them​ ​so​ ​they​ ​looked​ ​“back​ ​in​ ​the​ ​day”.​ ​​ ​Maybe her​ ​attraction​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Historical​ ​Center​ ​is​ ​explained​ ​knowing​ ​that​ ​is​ ​where​ ​she​ ​was​ ​born​ ​when​ ​it​ ​was​ ​formerly the​ ​community​ ​hospital.

No​ ​matter​ ​where​ ​she​ ​lived​ ​Linda​ ​was​ ​known​ ​for​ ​having​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​best​ ​garage​ ​sales​ ​around.​ ​She​ ​always​ ​had a​ ​way​ ​of​ ​getting​ ​the​ ​customers​ ​to​ ​come​ ​from​ ​miles​ ​away​ ​for​ ​those​ ​“hot​ ​bargains”.​ ​She​ ​also​ ​enjoyed​ ​reading, gardening​ ​and​ ​traveling.​ ​​ ​Through​ ​the​ ​years,​ ​Linda​ ​volunteered​ ​in​ ​many​ ​organizations​ ​and​ ​events.​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​No​ ​matter how​ ​busy​ ​her​ ​schedule,​ ​it​ ​seemed​ ​she​ ​always​ ​found​ ​the​ ​time​ ​and​ ​energy​ ​to​ ​help​ ​others.​ ​​ ​She​ ​will​ ​be​ ​greatly missed​ ​by​ ​all​ ​who​ ​knew​ ​her.

Linda’s​ ​pride​ ​and​ ​joy​ ​was​ ​watching​ ​her​ ​children​ ​grow​ ​and​ ​start​ ​families​ ​of​ ​their​ ​own.​ ​She​ ​was​ ​always​ ​excited​ ​to attend​ ​her​ ​grandchildren’s​ ​events​ ​and​ ​activities.​ ​​ ​Linda​ ​always​ ​supported​ ​them​ ​and​ ​beamed​ ​with​ ​pride​ ​for every​ ​challenge​ ​tackled​ ​and​ ​achievement​ ​accomplished.​ ​​ ​All​ ​the​ ​grandchildren​ ​are​ ​held​ ​close​ ​in​ ​her​ ​heart.

Preceding​ ​Linda​ ​in​ ​death​ ​​a​re​ ​her​ ​parents,​ ​Lester​ ​and​ ​Lois​ ​Luchsinger​ ​and​ ​both​ ​sets​ ​of​ ​grandparents.

She​ ​is​ ​survived​ ​by​ ​her​ ​husband​ ​of​ ​51​ ​years,​ ​Donald;​ ​son,​ ​Devin​ ​(Laura)​ ​Bright​ ​of​ ​Fox​ ​River​ ​Grove,​ ​Ilinois;​ ​daughter, Alesha​ ​(Gregory)​ ​Wettleson​ ​of​ ​Gunder,​ ​Iowa;​ ​grandchildren,​ ​Lindsay,​ ​Abigail​ ​and​ ​Jared​ ​Bright,​ ​Mariah,​ ​Jodie​ ​and Ryan​ ​Wettleson​ ​and​ ​Steven​ ​Kress;​ ​brother,​ ​Leslie “Scott”​ ​(Carolyn)​ ​Luchsinger,​ ​Fayette,​ ​Iowa;​ ​sister,​ ​Lolita Luchsinger,​ ​Mason​ ​City,​ ​Iowa​ ​and​ ​many​ ​other​ ​family​ ​and​ ​friends.

The​ ​family​ ​would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​thank​ ​Gundersen​ ​Palmer​ ​Hospice,​ ​family,​ ​neighbors​ ​and​ ​friends​ ​for​ ​their​ ​support.

Visitation will be held from 3-7 pm on Friday, December 8, 2017 at United Methodist Church, West Union, Iowa. There will also be a one hour visitation before services at the church on Saturday.

Funeral Services will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, December 9, 2017 at United Methodist Church, West Union, Iowa with Rev. Chris Ebbers as the Officiant.

Burial will follow at Elgin Cemetery, Elgin, Iowa.

Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, West Union, Iowa is helping the family with arrangements.